This invention concerns improvements in foldable wheelchairs and is particularly related to wheelchairs for manual driving by the user or an attendant.
The conventional manual wheelchair for self-propulsion by the user has large front or rear wheels with hand-rims which are used for advancing the wheelchair. The overall width of such wheelchairs is often too great to permit the user manoeuvering in constricted passages or aisles or through narrow openings. A particular problem arises when the user travels on public service transport, such as trains or aircraft.
It is often inappropriate or impossible for the disabled user to be transferred bodily between entrances and/or exits or around the typical constriction which impedes normal wheelchair use. Indeed in many environments, there are no facilities for assisting the wheelchair user and the gangways may be too narrow to carry a disabled person.
It is possible to provide special wheeled transporters or trolleys, but these have limited use as one or more attendants are required and the disabled person has little or no control and is wholly reliant on the attendant(s) whilst in the special transporter.
Another problem which is most prevalent in foldable wheelchairs is that even in the foldable state, the dimensions are too wide for convenient stowage, say in a normal luggage hold or compartment.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved foldable wheelchair which overcomes the foregoing problems in a simple and expedient manner of construction.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved foldable wheelchair adapted for self-propelling use or attendant use, and of which the width may be reduced to permit manoeuvering under the control of an attendant whilst still safely transporting the seated user.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved foldable wheelchair of particularly compact construction having a special form of foldable link.
Other objectives of this invention and advantages derived from the invented improved wheelchair will be understood from the description of a preferred embodiment given later herein.